Beat the New Year Blues

The New Year is a great time for celebration and planning for the future. However, for some it is full of tiredness and something that is known as “the New Year blues.” You are unwinding from the holiday season, trying to catch up on sleep, and know that it is another 52 weeks until it all happens again. The good news is that you can beat these blues with the following tips.

Get Back to Your Sleeping Pattern

Part of the blues is due to your sleeping pattern; or lack of one. The best thing you can do is get back into a normal sleeping pattern as soon as possible.

It can be hard if you’ve spent the last few weeks going to bed late and getting up later because you’ve not had work, school or other commitments. Force yourself to get back in this habit and you will quickly feel like you have more energy.

Get Back on the Exercise Horse

Exercise is one of the best things to boost your mood. It releases serotonin and endorphins from the brain, which are natural and needed chemicals.

This will also help you work off some of that Christmas weight gain, so you feel better about yourself. You won’t have to do a lot and should start slow. Build up to 30 minutes, five days a week.

Don’t Let Yourself Get Cold

When you get cold, you start to feel down and depressed. While it’s one of the coldest times of year—and for some the coldest it has been in many years—you want to try to stay warm.

If you can’t afford to put the heating on again, put on layers or make a hot water bottle. You will soon find your muscles relax and you feel much better about yourself.

Socialise with Friends and Family

The Christmas season is fun because of the ability to socialise with others. Humans need some form of socialisation, so it is important to make it part of your week.

It could be with your friends from work at the end of the week, or you may find a group of mums in the area. Get out and meet new people if you must. It will really curb those New Year blues.

Focus on a Healthy Diet

One of the most common New Year’s resolutions is to lose weight, but it leads to many people starving themselves. You don’t want to do this. It’s not healthy and it’s not going to help your mood.

Focus on healthy foods—and yes, carbohydrates and some fats are healthy in moderation! If you tell yourself you’re not allowed it, you’re more likely to want it and this leads to a dip in mood. Ration yourself on the food you know is bad.

Reward Yourself for Sticking to Goals

You’ve likely made resolutions or goals, so now it is time to stick to them. You can boost your mood by doing this.

Reward yourself for your hard work, whether it is buying a new dress, eating out at your favourite restaurant, or a trip to the movies.